Two tips for those planning an India trip: Avoid the cities (smoggy, crowded) and keep overland travel short. Amanbagh, a 38-room luxury haven in the state of Rajasthan, delivers an authentic Indian experience within five hours’ drive of New Delhi ($650; amanresorts.com). From here you can hike the nearby Aravalli Range or explore historical sites like Bhangarh, an abandoned 17th-century city. Biking and camel trekking are also on the menu, along with sunrise yoga on hilltops, where sadhus—Hindu holy men—still wander.